The Airline Conference 2025 will take place in Cayenne, French Guiana, on October 23 and 24. This event confirms the commitment made during the first edition in 2024 in Martinique: to give French Guiana the responsibility of hosting the sequel.
This second edition takes place against a backdrop marked by the need to strengthen regional connectivity, accelerate the ecological transition and prepare for the future of space. The Airline Conference 2025 promises to be a strategic event for the entire Antilles-Guyane region.
Six preparatory workshops to lay the foundations for the conference
In September, six preparatory workshops brought together airports, airlines, aviation authorities, local authorities, space experts and economic players. These working sessions enabled us to draw up a diagnosis and outline the main lines that will structure the Airline Conference 2025.
1. Multiscale connectivity and emerging companies
The arrival of new operators such as Caribbean Airlines, the growth of St-Barth Executive and the opening of specific routes (to Cap-Haïtien, by Sunrise) were among the highlights of the discussions. However, participants emphasized the weight of the European regulatory framework, which is stricter than that of other Caribbean countries, and recalled that airlines are now demanding risk-sharing with the territories.
2. Airport governance and performance
A comparative overview highlighted the diversity of management models: concessions in Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guiana, local authority management in Saint-Barthélemy and Saint-Martin, and a state-owned company model in Barbados with a PPP project. Discussions converged on the need to create a regional body that would be more technical than political, in order to strengthen cooperation between platforms.
3. Aerospace skills and synergies
Preparations for the Antilles-Guyane Air Transport Conference also highlighted the urgent need to structure a common frame of reference for aerospace professions. Maintenance, remote piloting of drones, space engineering: the needs are numerous and strategic. The creation of a Caribbean aerospace cluster was chosen as a priority tool for federating rectorats, universities, CNES and ENAC.
4. Ecological transition and sustainable air travel
The prospect of COP30 in Brazil set the tone for the discussions, with the reduction of carbon footprints taking center stage. Air France-KLM detailed its strategy (fleet modernization, 10% sustainable fuels by 2030), while SARA presented its plans for local biofuel production. The region’s airports emphasized their climate resilience and renewable energy initiatives.
The creation of an SAF group purchasing platform and joint lobbying of the European Union to adapt the ETS system have been identified as priorities.
5. Freight, logistics and regional integration
The findings are clear: freight is structurally lagging behind, particularly in Cayenne. The EFTI4All project was highlighted as a lever for digitizing and simplifying customs procedures. Participants stressed the importance of supporting SMEs to avoid a digital divide, and of exploiting the potential of free trade zones to boost exports.
6. Financing and innovation
The workshop highlighted the difficulties of financing strategic projects such as Flying Whales in French Guiana, and proposed the creation of a regional investment fund. Financial institutions (AFD, BPI, SEM patrimoniale, Caribbean banks) were identified as essential partners. All players agreed on the priority of formalizing the air and space cluster at the Airline Conference 2025.
The official program for October 23 and 24, 2025
The round tables and plenary sessions announced will provide a concrete framework for the priorities emerging from the preparatory workshops. The two-day format will enable the Airline 2025 Conference to move from strategic reflection to operational commitments.
Day 1 – Thursday, October 23, 2025, Cayenne
- 🕐 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm : Inaugural lunch.
- 🕐 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm : Opening plenary – Connecting the basin: from inter-island links to international gateways – towards an integrated Antilles-Guyane airspace – Plateau des Guyanes.
- 🕐 16h00 – 18h00 : Round Table 1 – From air to space: forging skills and innovations for a sustainable, shared future.
- 🕐 7:00 pm: Welcome cocktail.
Day 2 – Friday, October 24, 2025
- 🕐 09h00 – 09h45 : Opening plenary.
- 🕐 10h00 – 12h00 : Round Table 2 – Airport hubs: drivers of competitiveness and regional cooperation..
- 🕐 12h00 – 13h30 : Lunch.
- 🕐 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm : Round Table 3 – Freight and logistics: building tomorrow’s value chains in the Guiana Shield and Greater Caribbean..
- 🕐 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm : Round Table 4 – Investing in air travel: financing and partnerships for sustained growth.
- 🕐 17:30 – 18:00: Closing plenary.
Strategic challenges for the region
The Airline Conference 2025 aims to provide clear answers to several major challenges. The Airline Conference 2025 aims to ensure the continuity of inter-island links, strengthen training, accelerate the ecological transition and modernize freight. It will also lay the foundations for a regional fund, by formalizing public-private partnerships.
An assertive political dimension
The Airline Conference 2025 goes beyond the technical framework: it symbolizes a strong political will. After Martinique in 2024, French Guiana is keeping its promise to organize this second edition, and asserting its strategic position in Caribbean cooperation.
On October 23 and 24, Cayenne will become the focal point for the region’s aviation and space ambitions. The Airline 2025 Conference will mark a new stage in regional cooperation.
